I have been entering students for AMEB exams for a couple of years now. Most of my students get A's always A!! never an A+,despite comments of Scales- outstanding. sightreading-outstanding. Aural tests- All correct, pieces- musically played & fully capturing the style- expressive,engaging performance, blah,blah. No negative comments and still no A+.
What's the secret in getting A+? Has anyone's students ever been awarded one in the AMEB exams?

I got an A+ for my grade 7 piano exam (none of my students have received one yet unfortunately!) and in terms of how well prepared I was and how well I played, I honestly don't think there was a difference between that exam and all of my others (in which I received A's). I think the only difference was the examiner. I had had her as an adjudicator in a number of competitions and I know she really liked the way I expressed myself through the music (in a way that other adjudicators had sometimes found a little bit over the top!) so I'm guessing that the A+ came from her feeling that I hit the nail on the head with my expression. But expression is such a personal thing, it can't happen very often at all that an adjudicator or an examiner feels that a candidate got it 100% in line with their own tastes. A piece can be played incredibly well (hence the A), but it would be very rare for it to make that exact connection needed for an examiner to feel that it was perfect and worthy of an A+.

I think you've hit the nail on the head there.
I've had the same experiance with an adjudicator who absolutely loved my students expression and style, he obviously looked for the same musicality in a piece that I did.
So the key to A+ would be getting an examiner who interprets the music the same way you do and is hopefully in a good mood and feeling generous!!
Thanks for that.

Oh god yes, I have wondered about this myself. It seems TOO easy to get an A. I have had students get As who I thought should have been given a lower mark. But I've never had a student get an A+. I wonder what the breakdown of percentages is? Maybe examiners are only allowed to hand out a certain percentage (like a bell curve) of A+s. I'll be so stoked if any of my students ever get one!

It would seem unfair if examiners work on percentages and only allowed to hand out a certain amount of A+. What if every candidate was excellent that day, all A+ standard? would that mean that the examiner has no more A+ left to give? (maybe that's why my students always get A! No A+ left)
I wonder if this is the way it works? If so I think that's unfair, surely the candidate should get whatever mark they deserve.

As others have said, I've found (in around 12 years of students in exams) it comes down to the examiner. Some examiners just have chips on their shoulders, and won't give above a B+, others are warm, friendly, & understand the whole process is a freak-out for most students, and mark accordingly, and encouragingly.
Don't let it get to you - look at the way you teach. Some get A's, and some probably get Cs. Do you teach the As any differently from the Cs?

I even sat through a lunch with an examiner at my last examinations in 2010 where the examiner said the previous venue (ie the room / location) was so bad (hot), the parking horrible, and the hosts very unfriendly, that he failed most of the students.
Petty, but unfortunately, still prevalent.

I tend to think there is a lack of consistency in the marking. How often do AMEB examiners attend 'training' (for want of a better word) to make sure they have an idea about the appropriate benchmarks for each grade?

As far as I am aware, in NSW the AMEB is affilated with the NSW Board of Studies, so I would like to assume that there is some sort of process and criteria behind the awarding of grades.

Any AMEB examiners out there?

Sad to hear that environmental factors may have played a part in the awarding of grades. Just goes to show how subjective the system can be.

Examiners should be able to justify their marking in an objective way. Professional teachers ought to be able to reliably predict the grades of their students. Pressure should be put on the exam board to introduce a system of grade related criteria which are rigorously and consistently applied. These criteria should be publicised and the whole business should be transparent - even to A+ level. The sort of things described above in this thread are really quite unacceptable in any situation; least of all where folk are paying for the service.


John

There is definitely no quota system. I don't have time to write more now but there are definite criteria, examiners are trained and have ongoing training (I'm not an examiner, by the way, but I know some, and have heard quite a bit from their side). Some are better than others at being consistent, I agree, but there are definite requirements that have to be met for an A+. The main thing is that the grade given should be consistent with what the report says. You shouldn't ever find comments that suggest excellent work throughout, and a C grading, for example. (You've got a legitimate case for a protest if you do, actually.)I've had a student get A+ when I certainly wouldn't have given it to her. However, I wasn't there at the exam, and I didn't hear her playing on that occasion.

I am an AMEB examiner, but I've only just started doing it - to the point that I've not yet given out a single A+!

To receive a high distinction (A+) a student has to demonstrate outstanding achievement in all sections, including performance flair, consistent technical fluency and penetrating stylistic insight.

I think the 'in all sections' is critical. A student can't expect to get an A+ no matter how good their pieces are if one area (sight reading, general knowledge, tech work etc) is sub-par. I also think the 'stylistic insight' comment is really important. There has to be something really special about the playing - and I take the point others have have made that subjectivity does come into play when you are talking about style and interpretation.

As a student I never received an A+ - and, sadly, I think that had more to do with laziness that lack of ability.

As a teacher, I've now had quite a number of students get high distinctions in the early grades. One of the elements that I think has distinguished those students is a real involvement in the music.
-Paul

Yes, that's what the examiners I've spoken to emphasised as well. And thanks for giving us the examiner's perspective, Slowdown - it's most helpful.

Could you objectively describe exactly what you mean by "performance flair" and "penetrating stylistic insight"?

I got an A+ for my Grade 6 exam in...1997, but I'm the only person I've met who's got one. I've had plenty of students get As and B+s, though. My first piano teacher told me that "you have to be Mozart to get an A+" so I was very surprised. (I was extremely well prepared and didn't make any errors but wouldn't say that I'm especially 'musical'/talented/whatever.)

The late Mack Jost gave me an A+ for eighth grade - he was a generous man with his art collection and I always wondered if he was generous with his marks .... though I worked really, really hard for that exam! A few students have been awarded A+ at second grade (with different examiners). Those students were expressive, completely on top of their programmes and had the kind of temperaments that meant they didn't become bored and inconsistent with over-preparation.